THERE was a time – a long time – when Scotland never came close to beating Australia. This afternoon, the Scots could record a second successive win over the Wallabies in 2017, something World Cup winning full-back Matt Burke says shows the shift in where the two nations currently are.
For the former Newcastle Falcons star, it also indicates just where the rival coaches are, with the pressure heaped on one. “And it isn’t Gregor Townsend, that’s for sure,” laughed Burke, who was still coming to terms with last weekend’s loss to England at Twickenham.
“I don’t mind losing to New Zealand, but I don’t like losing to England,” said the 44-year-old, who now works for broadcaster Network Ten.
“Our coach, Michael Cheika is under pressure. Basically, we play the wrong game. We have a Plan A and a Plan A. “There is a time to run, and a time to make the opposition run. We just haven’t worked that out.
“We need a more rounded game plan. As an ex-player and a supporter, I’d be happier with that. However, results haven’t been great if you examine them.
“I write for The Herald in Australia – no relation – and I’ve classified this year, 2017, as an ‘if only’ year; if only we hadn’t had that first 40 minutes in the opening Bledisloe Cup game against New Zealand; if only we’d caught the kick-off in the second Bledisloe; if only we’d won the game against the Boks in Perth; if only we’d turned up against England. This could have been a totally different year.
“It’s an interesting perception of where the Wallabies are at; before England they’d not been beaten in their last seven, but two of those were draws. They’d beaten the All Blacks, and there was a sense of relief at finally getting one over on those blokes.
“There is a will and desire, but they have to be smarter. You don’t go out trying to be second, but sometimes your decisions on the field, during the game, make that a near-enough certainty.
“They play some great running rugby, but their game management leaves a lot to be desired and a lot to work on.
“I played beside Wilko [Jonny Wilkinson] at Newcastle Falcons, and you just see how easy someone of his class makes the game. How he could put pressure on teams, just by kicking the ball in to places the opposition didn’t want to be, or how he’d play the elements. Finn Russell does the same now for you guys.
“We kicked a bit against Wales the other week, but it looked alien to us. We were just not convincing enough and a Test Match isn’t the time to try and find out.”
In contrast, Burke has been impressed with the Scots of late and is enjoying the new rivalry with Scotland.
“Fortunately, when I played, we had the hex on you guys. But certainly, they were always tough encounters.
“Physically, the Scots were always challenging, borderline on intimidation. Hey, they’d happily kick the sh*t out of you, and still be your mate.
“But Scotland are still the - how could I say it – full box of tricks, because they’ll try the unpredictable. That has always been a part of their game. But under Gregor, it seems totally controlled,” says Matt, who like much of Australia, was stunned when Scotland played in Sydney during our summer tour.
“I was commentating on that game and thinking ‘it’s going to happen for the Aussies, it’s going to happen.’ And it just didn’t.
“I still think the Wallabies believed they only had to turn up and it would happen for them. Scotland, it was their end of season tour, here for a holiday – enjoy yourself boys, thanks for coming – with a team, who remember, were a few players down through injury or being on the Lions tour.
“We took it lightly. We can’t afford another banana skin like that in Edinburgh.”
Of course, there is an added edge to this afternoon’s match. But Burke says that began long before the infamous World Cup tie at Twickenham a few years back.
“There is an intense rivalry, but it’s a nice rivalry if you see what I mean – although I think that World Cup match, and the decision that you Scots still have a gripe about and that has brought something to the matches.
“Actually, it might go back a little bit further, if you remember that game up in Newcastle (in New South Wales), in 2012 on a day when they were considering calling the game off because of just how heavily it had rained and how windy it was.
“They had to call in the structural engineers on site to work out what level of storm the grandstand could withhold because they thought they were going to lose the roof off the north and south stands.
“Scotland won 9-6 – obviously the game should never have been played,” he laughed. “But it was like, ‘we didn’t see that coming’ and the games since then, since Australia identified Scotland as a decent team, have all been good.
“The last two have been corkers, the one at Murrayfield this time last year - again when perhaps Scotland deserved more – and the one down here in Sydney on your tour, where Scotland upset us, and put to right some of the things that had gone against them.
“There is always plenty at stake in Test match rugby – but Australia v Scotland is always a game to anticipate. As is the beer afterwards.
“The great tours I went on incorporated games against the Scots and you always knew that was never going to be an easy day.
“And they were great blokes – Doddie Weir, Craig Chalmers, Kenny Logan, Gregor (Townsend) – they enjoyed the game, and enjoyed what came after. I hope today’s players still get to do that, but, that may be something that has changed in what I’d call the ‘very professional’ era.
“Scotland are a fiercely proud nation and have one of the best ‘paddocks’ in world rugby which is Murrayfield.
“It just all fits well, and Australia will have to play well – really on top of their game – to have a chance.”